The present invention relates to portable gas stoves, and, more particularly, to a portable stove having removable, self-storing legs.
Portable stoves are used primarily for camping activities, as well as food preparation in temporary locations for outdoor events such as weddings and other celebrations, mobile food vendors, emergency food preparation during disaster relief operations, and the like. The use of portable stoves in such circumstances requires primarily that the stoves be capable of easy setup and disassembly for transport, and adaptable to the vagaries of terrain, siting, and other factors. It is recognized that a portable stove should be operated in a leveled condition, to prevent spills from pots and pans heated thereon, and that a portable stove be supported firmly at a height that is convenient for cooking tasks. The combined effect of these requirements is that portable stoves must often be supported on legs or other extendable supports, and that these legs should be removable for easy transport. Although some portable stoves are operatively associated with folding support structures, these assemblies may become unstable or difficult to use effectively under field conditions and repeated use.
It is important that removable legs be transported with the stove, as the stove is far less usable without the legs. However, most portable stoves do not provide any means for securing the legs to the stove in the knockdown condition. Moreover, the means for securing the legs to the stove must be operable easily and quickly, and all fastener means must be secured without risk of loss. These desirable features are not known in any prior art portable stove.